Some Thoughts About Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

Google today announced Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which represents a branding strategy shift that is perhaps as important—or even more important—than any new features it may include. To date, Google has given each Android version a unique—and usually cloying—name. But for the first time it’s sticking with the same name across multiple releases. This is smart.

Since its rather inauspicious beginnings—Android is every bit the “stolen product” that former Apple CEO Steve Jobs infamously complained about—Google’s mobile platform has grown by leaps and bounds. And while I’d be careful about calling it “innovative,” Android is certainly mature, full-featured and capable. It is very much what I’ve always described it as, the mobile versions of Windows. No wonder Jobs was so upset.

Almost a year ago, I publicly promised to spend more time looking at, and writing about, Android. The article in which I made this declaration, Embracing Android, was well-intentioned. But I had a hard time following through on it, because of my love of Windows Phone and my ambivalence about the Samsung Galaxy Nexus I was using at the time.

Throughout 2012, however, things started to change. That Nexus handset was finally updated to (the now initial version of) Jelly Bean, Android 4.1, which I like quite a bit. And Google released its first tablet, the 7-inch Nexus 7, which I described at the time as the first credible challenger to the iPad. And since then, Google has updated all of its Nexus products. There’s a new version of the handset, now called the Nexus 4, which I’ll be getting as soon as possible. (Like many, I was shut out when the first sales happened earlier today.) There’s a revised Nexus 7, which now comes in multiple versions. And coming soon, a true iPad competitor in the form of the new Nexus 10, a 10-inch tablet with a retina-busting 2560-by-1600 high-resolution display.

All of these devices can be found at Google Play. And when it comes to my coverage of Android going forward, most of it will be based on these devices, since they represent the “pure” Android experience, one that is not covered up by proprietary UIs found on many other Android devices.

But back to Jelly Bean, the point at which Android became truly interesting. (At least to me.)

Google initially announced Android 4.1 Jelly Bean at Google I/O back in June. From my perspective, this release consolidated some of the tablet-only work that went into the previous releases and made it, and more, available to all devices (and device types). Now called “the first version of Jelly Bean,” Android 4.1 introduced the impressive Google Now interface, improved notifications, automatically resizable widgets, and more. This new version, 4.2, adds support for multiple users (huge on tablets), wireless display, actionable notifications, NFC, and more.

But again, the big deal, I think, is that this release didn’t get another (silly) name. And while this won’t help with the very real issue of fragmentation—Android remains, and will remain, a world of multiple product versions out in the wild—it suggests that as Android matures, Google is starting to understand that the brand matters. And racing from brand to brand confuses customers, especially when many can’t even get the new version.

Last year, I promised to embrace Android. While I’m not sure I can do that wholeheartedly while Windows Phone is still kicking around, the market share numbers tell me I can’t keep ignoring it. With Jelly Bean, finally, keeping up on Android won’t be painful, and will in fact be quite all right.

The first step, of course, will be to examine how Windows users can best take advantage of this mobile platform. I’ll start there.

Discuss this Article 35

My biggest issue (prior releases) is the fractured built in Exchange support. That and the fear of allowing these devices onto a corporate network. On an previous Nexus phone I had to use an app called Touchdown to make the phone usable in an exchange environment.

I'm a heavy Android user, and I love it cos it doesn't limit me in what I can do, just like Symbian didn't back when it was popular. However, while WP7 was an extremely limiting experience, I've noticed that MS didn't act like Apple, and instead has added quite a lot of functionality to WP8, like file access via MTP.

What I'd like to see is how both OS compare in these things. Just what is missing in WP8 that Android provides, and vice versa. I'm thinking of buying a secondary WP8 device after the Nexus 4 (yes, I'm a Nexus fanboy), so wondering how much it has changed. I've liked what I've seen till now, but will be nice to see you talk about it :D

Excellent article. I have tried to use Android off and on since the beginning and have never been totally happy with it. The problems with it now are not so much problems with the OS, which has become a good mature OS in the latest releases, they are fragmentation issues. The percentage of devices using Jelly Bean or even Ice Cream Sandwich is still small, the variety of screen resolutions make it hard to develop, and most of the apps are still blown up phone apps rather than tablet apps, so I think that even at this point, Android is still a better phone OS than tablet OS.

Yes they did. Google has not changed their branding system, instead they keep the same codename for what they consider minor updates. If Paul would spend more time doing research and less time bashing on Android and their "silly" codenames he would have already known that and never published this article.

One nice way I've found is the Plex app. You install a custom server app on your home server, and then you can install the client app on laptops and mobile devices. Works both in the home and when you're out and about (if you have the bandwidth of course).

I made the jump from the aging BlackBerry platform to Android with the original EVO 4G back in 2010. While it had some rough edges, I really appreciated things Android offered that the iPhone didn't: widgets, notifications, lots more customization options, exchangeable microSD card storage and batteries.

I've since upgraded my personal phone to a Galaxy Nexus, and mostly liked some of the 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" changes compared to the EVO's 2.3 Gingerbread. The latest update to 4.1 "Jelly Bean" didn't strike me as mind-bending, but I do appreciate the performance improvements due to the "butter" code.

A lot of the changes I've seen on the Android platform in just the past couple years have worried me, however. If the Nexus platform is Google's unquestionable plans for the future, I am beginning to question their overall approach. My Galaxy Nexus does not have a MicroSD card slot, but at least I was able to get 32 GB of storage (~29 available after the OS etc.)--not my preference, but acceptable. The Galaxy Nexus' predecessor, the Nexus 4s, also did not support removable storage. The latest Nexus 4 handset, however, only has either 8 (!) or 16 GB MAX internal storage! *Ridiculous*. I know Google is trying to get people to use "the cloud" but it strikes me as a particularly bad time to do that, now that very few cell providers offer unlimited data plans anymore.

Google has stated they don't want to rely on external storage media anymore, given the relative complication in integrating it with the rest of the platform. Huh? Works fine on my wife's Razr MAXX!

I have a smartphone. I'd prefer to use it in a smart manner--and not paying my carrier to listen to my own music that I've already purchased just because I have to stream it from Google.

The latest Nexus 4 also includes a nonremovable battery. Not ideal, but I can see many "power users" not happy about that. What's the solution, using those hideously expensive special cases that include an integrated external battery that connects via the microUSB port?

Overall, Google's hardware and software design changes are starting to remove some of the Android platform's biggest advantages over the iPhone/iOS, in my opinion. Aside from Apple's recent iOS6 issues with Maps, they've been improving their offerings, with much better notifications, incredible cameras, and a nearly idiot-proof method of backing up the phone. If it comes to it, I will very much consider making the switch to an iOS device if decent Android phones with either microSD card slots or 32 GB of internal storage disappear from the market.

It just seems to me that, after so much moving forward, Google is now regressing their platform in other areas. I really hope I'm wrong about this.

Thanks for sharing your comments on this too, Paul. Look forward to seeing more about your likes and dislikes about it.

Using my Nexus 7 with vanilla Jelly Bean and my Moto Razr Maxx from Verizon (ICS, w/promise of Jelly Bean, sometime) is enlightening. Crapware and long waits for upgrades/updates with my phone vs the sleek experience of the Google Nexus experience (although I'm still waiting for Jelly Bean 4.2).
Will there be the same situation in the Windows/Windows RT/Windows Phone environment? Will MS allow providers and manufacturers to screw up the Windows experience? I know the big PC are still installing lots of crapware, how will the new Metro/Tiles affect that, if at all.

I have an old android 2.2 phone and I am in the process of getting the Samsung Note 2. I will be interested knowing what you find out about Android 4.1 and 4.2 connecting with Exchange and windows live, as well as skydrive.

Its not actually the first time Google hasn't given a new name to a new version of Android. 2.0 and 2.1 were both Eclair and had a similar amount of time between their release as between 4.1 and 4.2 (3 mos vs 4 mos). Also 3.0, 3.1, and 3.2 were all Honeycomb with 2-3 mos between each of those releases.

Google just can't seem to make up their minds with regards to how to assign version numbers to major releases, minor releases, and point releases and which are worthy of new names.

Yes, you do have a lot to learn about Android. I'd start by dropping the whole 'stolen product' bit. Don't forget, Apple has copied stuff from Android (cough, notification center), app integration (Android has always excelled at allowing you to share information between apps).

I was a long time Windows Mobile user. While WinMo 5 -> 6.5 weren't pretty, they were powerful and allowed you to customize your phone however you wanted. Development options were plentiful (native code, .NET), and alot of people had invested time and effort into the platform. Once they abandoned their old users (twice, actually, if you count the 7.x betrayal), they lost some of us in the mobile space forever.

My experience with Android has not been great. I went from the reliability of Blackberry to an Android, which as someone else mentioned, had very poor Exchange support. A message would hang in the outbox, and I would go for hours replying to work email messages and them stacking in the outbox. The only solution I found at the time was to delete them all and recompose them. Very frustrating. At that point, I knew they were not very reliable for work and went with an iPhone 4 on Verizon. I haven't been this happy with a phone in quite some time. I am honestly happy with nearly everything on it. I don't want widgets, don't miss them, and the stability is as good as the BlackBerry was. I don't miss the file system at all - I want a phone to work and not have to toy with it. I understand others have different needs/wants but I have been happy with the iPhone. If I venture off of iOS in the future, it will probably be to a Windows Phone, or another Blackberry. But I don't see me changing in the foreseeable future.

I find it interesting the volume of personal information that people store on their phones, but they will install any application on it, not knowing if there is a malicious intent behind it. I like the fact that the worst junk is not allowed on iOS or its App Store.

i have a dilemma.... I have been an Apple Fan boy for a few years (ok 5)... and am a lover of the Apple Music Eco-system (iTunes, iPhone, iPad and Apple TV).. it just works.. but i hate the phone now, especially after i bought my wife the lumia 900 and its gorgeous, the GUI "and" the phone. Its now time for my upgrade and my issue is Android or Windows Phone 8? Specifically Galaxy note II (just sexy), HTC 8X (again SEXY) or Lumia 920.... This is a BIG decision, its quite scary leaving a platform i have been so "connected" to, like a partner. so... i'm looking forward to your views on android and hoping my decision can be made soon !

My path through Android started with a Samsung Moment, then a Nexus S 4G, & now I'm using a Galaxy Note II. I have to say without a doubt that the G Note 2 is probably one of the finest handsets I've ever used.

One of the features native to the Galaxy Note II is the ability to have multi-window view. It allows me to run 2 apps side by side. I'm sure on these larger phones that are phablets & definitely for the tablets, running two apps side by side has got to be the killer feature that Google needs to add natively into Android.

The way Samsung made the stylus & their TouchWiz overlay as less intrusive & more of a design aesthetic really changed my mind. Up to now, the TouchWiz overlay on devices I'd use from friends felt intrusive & as a hindrance to Android. I felt like the stock vanilla experience was good enough. The version in the Galaxy Note seems well thought out. There are little enhancements that Samsung's designers have added that when stitched together make for a pleasant experience. For example, the Calender app on the Galaxy Note II has a place to add a map. You can use the stylus to make personal notations on that map.

I don't subscribe to the theory that Android is stolen from iOS. Apple didn't invent operating systems, GUI's, or mobile operating systems. Both companies are building on the shoulders of giants. Android comes from a different school of thought that Apple would never take. Widgets, customization, deep UI tweaks, a cloud first based OS that takes advantage of local storage, & system level changes that would make most Apple users cringe. Apple doesn't do the cloud very well even today. Apple has deviated far from the original iPhone which was suppose to be HTML 5 apps, didn't have apps, wasn't intended for video until later, & then finally added cloud services in the 5th iteration of their OS. Android was always cloud connected & backing up to Google starting back with the 1.x releases. It took advantage of Google's vast ecosystem to go beyond just a smartphone with some well designed apps. The Google ecosystem would take my address searches in Chrome or the Android web browser, import them into Google maps, determine my GPS location, & plot me a course to my destination.

I suspect Paul that if you dive deeper into Android, you'll find that there's more there than what iOS did. There's no doubt that earlier iPhone OS/iOS had better polish. But there was a lot of great integration & cross talk between the Google ecosystem & Android that iOS still lacks today.

My first encounter with Android was with my Motorola Droid X. It was a terrible experience. The Droid X was extremely slow and buggy, and battery life was horrible (it died in 4 hours). I tried my best to use it for 2 years. After my contract expired, I went with iPhone 4S and I love it. I feel so ripped off from my Android experience that I probably won't go back. It is likely that I go with iPhone 5 after my contract expires in 2014. I'm not convinced to buy an Android phone. The Windows Phones look terrific, but the user interface needs much more improvement before I will ever consider it. Microsoft needs to regain its credibility across all product lines. I'm not so hopeful at this point, but my opinion CAN change like with the Android tablets that look better every year. I still won't buy an Android tablet this year. Maybe next year I will decide, but I'm considering a Windows 8 Laptop convertible with touch screen. I haven't found any decent models. Oh well.

I've been using Androids since 1.6 with HTC's origional Hero device. It was always my secondary device with my HTC HD2 ( still an awsome piece of Hardware ) until the HTC Desire came out and convince me to leave the Windows Mobile device ( don't worry I flashed various Android ROMS onto the HD2 and it came my primary device for awhile again ). I've never had any issue with connecting any of my now , many , mnay android devices to exchange. Yes the one thing that doenst sync natively is Notes but thats it.

What made me move to Android was the total flexibility I the user had over the phone. Not just a list of Apps , I love widgets. I can scan 1 or more mailboxes without opening the app , look at my calander without opening it , change tracks etc. Or I can have my home screen completly empty ( the Zen look )

Yes there is no MS Office built in but there are that many free viewers or full suits available that I don';t see it as a issue. The Varietly of alternatives in the Windows Store for popular apps in the IOS or Play store I see used as an excuse all the time so it cuts both way for Office alternatives.

As an IT manager I have intergated Andrtoid Phones and Tablets across our user fleet with no issues. Exchange can remote wipe devices ( yes it works , I've tried it ) and for the mobile staff their tablets ( with 3G built in.... stupid choice for Surface not to have this as an option ) they love not having to open their laptops most of the time to respond to emails etc.

Paul I know you mentioned it a few articels ago but the Galaxy Note I fee is a perfect device for alot of people. I have one as my second device and I find that I use that more for browsing , and replying to emails then my phone. It's more of a companion device than main phone but I have made calls from it when I was initally testing it.

I do plan on getting a Winphon8 device to test but in my oprion right now the OS seems like a middle groud between IOS and Android... walled garden but some customization ( live tiles in my opinion are very simple widgets )

My problem is kind of the reverse of what you asked for. I use a Galaxy Nexus (love it) and totally sold on Android. But I want to get my wife a Windows phone. She too is a user of Google services like mail, photos, and of course search.
Can you advice on how people into the google ecosystem (not android) can switch to WP?

"I don't subscribe to the theory that Android is stolen from iOS. Apple didn't invent operating systems, GUI's, or mobile operating systems. Both companies are building on the shoulders of giants. Android comes from a different school of thought that Apple would never take."

Yes can we please kill this nonsense once & for all? It's bad enough this lie lives in the tech press but in the Windows world we've lived with the same lie so we really shouldn't help it procreate. Come on Paul, Steve Jobs was a poster child of IP theft at Apple & NeXT. Time to give his legacy an honest airing & not the fluff. Ok soapbox rant over...

I'm in the process of learning Windows Phone 8 thx to the book/website & it's my next phone. Specifically the HTC 8X on Verizon. But I'll still keep an Android phone on my plan to use for media & all the money I've invested in apps. So I'll follow this series of articles closely. Now more than ever since I've upgraded to Windows 8 consolidation of my tech under a single umbrella makes sense. I hope you can show effective ways to do that with Android & Windows Phone 8.

Android phones are not worth it at this juncture. If you are ok with 3g and a non-Verizon service provider in your area then you're going to have a great experience with the Nexus 4. Unlocked phone with great specs and full Google support. That's a dream for most people who rely on Verizon whether it be contractual obligations or simply because it's just the better network. The lack of LTE also really hurts because LTE really is night and day from an often congested 3g network in my area.

So what remains if you can't have a Nexus? Again I go back to my initial statement. None of them are worth it at this juncture. Verizon is spouting the Droid DNA device which will have crazy high specs. Don't be tempted by it, because these guys will do everything in their power to lock you into their skinned interface, preinstalled bloatware and locked bootloader. They may get around to updating your OS six to ten months after it releases so enjoy the launch bugs. Not worth it. iOS folks will tell you that their iPhone 4S can do just about everything the iPhone 5 can a year after release. And chances are with the launch of the iPad mini using the same processing architecture the iPhone 4S will be supported strongly yet again next year. This while the Droid DNA will stagnate and be forgotten about as soon as Verizon and drop another turd in the Android well.

TLDR: Go Nexus or stay away from Android. That platform which is built around openness is ironically restrictive, messy and friendly only to carriers. iOS is still the more reliable choice and hopefully Win Phone, Blackberry and Android all get their act together and shake off carrier control from their devices.

Sorry but you seem to be complaining more about the Carriers than Android....

There are plently of LTE equiped Androids in many sizes ( Galaxy Note 2 , Galaxy S3 , Moto Raz's , One X's ) I do think carriers in the US have too much control. I'm a US citizen living in Australia now and it's much easier in that regards here.

If you don't like the Phones GUI or the carrier add on's remove them or get a free alternative launcher. It's possible to make any Android phone look stock ( Nova Launcher , or Apex ), or like IOS, or like Winphone 8. I think the multiple compnaies tweaking the Andorid Interface helps as it introduces new ideas quicker than it it was only one team. Things such as quick launch for settings were in TouchWiz well before they made it to stock android.

I can't agree with the "stolen product" crack - that was a little low. It's true only if you bought into Jobs' RDF!

Good to see you giving the whole "broaden the horizons" thing another shot - after all, these devices are likely to be widely-used platforms for Microsoft services, especially after Office is released. As you've pointed out before, the future is looking more heterogeneous than we've seen in the past - MS will remain a big player, just not the only one that counts anymore. And that's a good thing.

Otherwise -- as others have pointed out, 2.0/2.1 were both called Eclair, and for similar reasons to why they kept the name the same this time. But there is definitely a trend toward making fragmentation less inevitable in 4.x.

Paul, while I understand the desire to stick to evaluating Android devices which provide a vanilla, pure Android experience, notwithstanding the Touchwiz interface (which is in some ways, more innovative than the vanilla experience), you can not ignore the market leading Galaxy S3 to experience the power of Android.

I am glad to see Paul evaluating android and while I know that (and understand his reasons) he is biased towards windows phone.

Paul while you may feel that Android is a stolen product, there is no reason to place such disrespect in articles repeatedly. Microsoft and Apple have stolen plenty of ideas in the past and some of them from Android. (notifications, and folders to name a couple) You say you can not find anything innovative in Android, well some people may feel there is nothing innovative in iOS or WP7/8. This does not make them right or wrong, it is simply an opinion

You have already made your personal positions known in your article Embracing Android, by repeating your talking points over and over, you are acting like those blind Apple Cult members, or dare I say politicians.

Paul you have given iOS a fair shake, how about Android too. Don't let personal bias get in the way, review a product in the most unbiased manner you are capable of. If you let tunnel vision blind you, you risk becoming irrelevant. If you can't do a review in a mostly unbiased manner then go back to reviewing what you know best, Microsoft products.

Bias is such a colorful word. But it's not bias. It's just preference. I do prefer Windows Phone, and I do think it's better than the competition. That doesn't mean iOS and/or Android aren't good/usable/whatever.

I understand where you are coming from and I also have to thank you for being willing to respond to my comments (Most site admins would just censor comments containing such criticisms regardless of how justified it may or may not have been).